Ohio is joining a growing number of states whose highway patrol troopers are equipped with body cameras.

Governor DeWine joined Highway Patrol Superintendent Richard Fambro to announce the program’s kickoff.

DeWine said the $15 million program includes distribution and installation of 1,550 new body cameras.

“The Patrol has been using in-car cameras for decades, but as technology continues to advance, body cameras are now an essential tool,” the governor said.

The new body cameras will link to new in-car systems to ensure that all cameras record simultaneously when lights and sirens are activated.

They will be distributed in batches through May.

The Highway Patrol says the new body cams will roll out in the Findlay District in April of 2022.